(Road) Pitch Talk: Sporting Kansas City

The Crew faces Sporting Kansas City for the second time in three weeks, so we welcome back Tod Palmer from The Kansas City Star for another installment of "Pitch Talk."

The Crew faces Sporting Kansas City for the second time in three weeks, so we welcome back Tod Palmer from The Kansas City Star for another installment of "Pitch Talk."

1. How will SKC go about replacing Aurélien Collin? Obviously, Collin is a key cog in the defense. In fact, when Collin starts alongside fellow centerback Matt Besler with Chance Myers and Seth Myers at right and left backs, Sporting KC is 19-2-3 all-time. Losing Collin and Myers' ongoing issues with a groin strain, which has sidelined the former No. 1 overall pick for the last week, means that Michael Harrington likely steps again, and either Lawrence Olum or Neven Markovic are going to get some on-the-job training against the Crew.

2. With three straight shutouts at home, is pressure building for the club's offense? Publicly, manager Peter Vermes says he is happy with the chances Sporting KC has been creating. The club hasn't finished any in the last 325 minutes at home dating back to Julio Cesar's 35th-minute goal against Toronto FC on June 16, but there have been quality opportunities. Privately, heck yeah the team is frustrated, but there is no more pressure than exists every game to get goals. It is perplexing why the confetti canons at Livestrong Sporting Park have fallen silent.

3. Aside from not having Collin, how has the SKC lineup changed since it last played the Crew? Collin and Myers could be out defensively. Roger Espinoza is with the Honduras under-23 men's national team at the London Olympics, so he's unavailable (though Graham Zusi should play and he sat out the last meeting in Columbus). Bobby Convey is also back.

4. Crew players seemed upbeat about the loss to SKC because they felt they didn't play that poorly. What was the vibe from the winning side after the match? Sporting KC felt like it put together a clinical strike to take the lead and closed the game strong with Teal Bunbury's goal to ice a 2-0 win. The general philosophy for Vermes is to drive the game at home, but play more of a reactionary style on the road. Getting a quick lead and then successfully protecting that in a hostile environment (while adding a late insurance goal) is pretty much a flawless victory in the Sporting KC manager's eyes.

5. Do you expect to see a much different approach by SKC compared to two weeks ago? I expect Sporting KC to come out very attack-minded. It's at home and there haven't been many goals for the home fans recently (aside from U.S. Open Cup competition), but also because that is the style that helped Sporting KC set the league afire early in the season. Besides, Sporting KC can't afford to give up anymore points at home in a tight Eastern Conference race with the Red Bulls and D.C. United.